Speech #710175330

Mr. President. the figures given by the Department of Labor for net Mexican immigration during the eight months from July. 1929. to February. 1930. show that such net imnmigration amounted to 5.123. This figure refers only to legally recorded immigrants and emigrants. There is. of course. a very large but unknown number of illegal entries and departures of which no record has been made. Another very interesting phase of this situation is the number of Mexicans who have been deported during the 8month period. Exact figures for this period are not available. During the previous fiscal year the total number of deportations amounted to 19.908. of which 5.481 were deported to Mexico. The Department of Labor estimates that of the 10.000 aliens deported during the first eight months of the present fiscal year about half were Mexicans. They also estimate that 5.000 more Mexicans who were found at places near the border to be here illegally have been allowed to depart voluntarily in lieu of deportation. This means that nearly 10.000 Mexicans who are not included in the figure of 4.648 emigrants also left the United States. either through formal deportation proceedings or by voluntary departure in lieu thereof. which would indicate that. barring unrecorded bordercrossing activities. the net flow of Mexicans during the 8month period covered. was very decidedly southward. This net southward movement. which may be estimated on the above figures as between 4.000 and 5.000 for the 8month period covered was doubtless due in a large measure to the effects of the deportation act of March 4. 1929. and will probably not continue on such a large scale in future years. Since. however. the northward legal movement of Mexicans has now been successfully and permanently checked by administrative action it is evident that the problem of Mexican immigration has already been solved without resort to a quota. This is the most important development in our immigration situation and is unfortunately one which certain persons. intrigued by the catchword formula of "Put Mexicans under the quota" have not: been willing to admit as true. yet such is the case. These figures from our own Immigration Service also tend to confirm the oftenrepeated assertion that large numbers of Mexicans do return to their own country after having secured employment for a time in the United States. The Mexican Government also keeps a record of the arrival and departure of its citizens. In 1928. pursuant to instructions from the State Department.